ChowMein Noodles / Lo Mein Noodles

 

Chow mein (/ˈtʃaʊ ˈmeɪn/) are stir-fried noodles, the name being an English language corruption of the Taishanese chāu-mèing. The dish is popular throughout the Chinese diaspora where it will appear on the menu of Chinese restaurants. It is particularly popular in the United States and Britain It is commonly known as Loomein here in USA.

 

Here is my quick and easy version of homemade Chinese noodles for you.

Ingredients

1. 2 cup of dry egg noodles or dry spaghetti pasta par boiled.(al dente)

2. Green Beans (1 cup sliced in two parts)

3. Red Bell peppers (½ cup sliced) or choose any color

4. Mushrooms (1/2 cup sliced)

5. Red Onions (1/2 cup sliced)

6. 2 tbsp of garlic and ginger chopped finely

7. 2 tbsp of olive oil

8. 2 tbsp of red chili flakes

9. Dark Soy Sauce( opt for low sodium)

10. Vinegar

11. Scallions/ Green onion for garnishing

12. Water

Directions

1. Blanch the beans in hot boiling water for 3-5 minutes and then take them out and put in ice cold water. This way beans will be still crunchy but not raw and still maintain green color.

2. Heat the wok on medium heat add oil.

3. Add ginger and garlic with red chili flakes, let them be light pink and add all veggies one by one.

4. Sauté the vegetables for 5-6 minutes, do not stir them just shake your wok to turn them around.

5. At this point of time, if you want to add an egg you can add it now, but if you want vegetarian version just add boiled noodles.

6. Stir the noodles with tongs. Let them get some color.

7. Now when the noodle are ready add 1 tbsp of vinegar and 2 tbsp of soy sauce and mix it well.

8. Let them cook till soy sauce evaporates and then add little bit salt if required.

9. Serve hot and garnish with scallions.

Chowmein/Loomein are everyone’s favorite now you can make them home instead of eating outside and eating high calories food and destroying your health.

Pad Thai Noodles

These quick and easy Pad Thai noodles are a spicy mix of prawns / shrimps, peanuts and garlic. Ready in just 25 minutes, you can whip this simple Thai recipe up and look like a pro!

Ingredients

1. 175g or 8oz. cooked flat rice noodles in water

2. 31/2 tbsp of any kind of oil

3. 12 large raw prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tail shells left on

4. 2 sliced garlic cloves

5. ½ tsp. of dry red chili or 1 tsp of green chili paste

6. 2 medium beaten eggs without yolk

7. 3 tbsp Thai fish sauce

8. Juice of 1 lime and zest of same lemon

9. 1 tbsp Tamarind / Imli paste mixed with 3 tbsp water Optional: 2 Tbsp tomato ketchup

10. 1 tbsp light sugar or brown sugar

11. 4 tbsp roasted peanuts

12. 1 cup snow peas

13. 1 cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped

14. 6 spring onions, sliced diagonally

15. 50g beansprouts

Directions

1. Cook the noodles according to the pack instructions. Drain and toss with 1/2 tablespoon oil with ½ teaspoon of white vinegar so that noodles do not stick.

2. Make the sauce to add into noodles afterwards. Mix Fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, tamarind paste without water.

3. Now take a large deep frying pan or wok / kadiye with the rest of the oil.

4. Add the prawns and stir-fry for one to two minutes or until they turn pink brown but do not overcook them. Add the garlic and chili paste or dried chili and cook for a further 30 seconds.

5. Pour in the beaten white of eggs and stir-fry until they look scrambled.

6. Now add Spring onions and snow peas.

7. Turn the heat to low and add the noodles and stir them with tongs now till they turn little brown fry color on them now.

8. Add the sauce and toss together for 1-2 minutes until the noodles are cooked and coated with sauce color

9. Now serve them in individual bowls or plates with roasted peanuts, spring onions and bean sprouts.

10. Enjoy the authentic pad Thai and get your children in kitchen by helping you cutting spring onions and garnishing them on top after the noodles have been cooked.

Happy New Year enjoy :)

-Chitra

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

1. 2 chicken breasts chopped into cubes without fat skin

2. Two chicken legs with bone without fat skin

3. 3 celery chopped in bite size

4. 2-3 garlic cloves

5. 2 small whole white/yellow onion

6. 3 cups of carrots chopped

7. Salt to taste

8. Oil

9. 3 cups of egg noodles cooked in 3 cups of salted water

10. 2 packs of low sodium Chicken Stock and 2 cups of water

11. 1 tsp of basil powder and white and black pepper for garnishing

Directions

1. Heat 2 tbsp of deep dish non stick pan or Dutch oven pan

2. Now add Celery and Carrots

3. When they turn golden brown add chicken breasts and chicken legs

4. Allow to cook for few minutes and now add chicken stock and water.

5. Add whole onions without skin and garlic cloves.

6. Cook the soup for 30 minutes or more.

7. Take out the onion and garlic cloves and chicken legs.

8. Now separate the chicken from bones and put the chicken back in the soup.

9. Add the cooked noodles into the soup too and let it cook on low heat for 3 minutes.

10. Now garnish with black and white pepper and basil.

11. Serve hot chicken soup with garlic bread and some fresh salad.

Celery : This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Potassium and Manganese.

Carrots:

It is also a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin K and Manganese.

-Chitra